Romancing the Wind
by Tabitha Sly
Summary: 18 years after the Curse is lifted the players have moved on. Families are made and children are in their teens. When the Autumn wind breeds change and romances are in the air it brings the term ‘hormones on parade' into sharp relief.
1. cover your ass

**_Romancing the Wind_**

_Pirates of the __Caribbean_: A New Generation__

**By:** Tabitha Sly

**Started:** 08.21.03 

**Summary:** 18 years after the Curse is lifted the players have moved on. Families are made and children are in their teens. When the Autumn wind breeds change and romances are in the air it brings the term 'hormones on parade' into use. 

**Disclaimer: **

_I don't own_][ Pirates of the Caribbean or the actors. However if I _did own Pirates of the Caribbean Jack and Will would either be slashtastic or Jack would get with Elisabeth, Will and Elisa is just too damned clichéd.  If I owned Johnny Depp I would make him swagger around like Jack Sparrow, er __Captain Jack Sparrow, all day and dress him up for the part to. Orlando Bloom would suffer under my control as Legolas every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and the first and last Sundays of every month, he would of course have to be Will Turner on the remaining days being Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and the second and third Sundays of every month. Keira Knightly, dear Elisabeth, would not actually suffer under my control nor would Geoffrey Rush. _

_I do own_][ Marian Turner, Tara McCloud, Thomas Lace, Tybalt Norrington, Tabitha Turner, Dorian Lace, Mina and Sam Lace, Bianca Smithe,  Brendan and Elise Sparrow and River Styx as well as any other original characters not otherwise specified and the plot. The plot is all mine. I made it up. If you take it I'll hurt you. If you for whatever reason want to do a 'next generation' fic don't bother emailing me (I do it all the time when wanting to use a specific format I've seen someone else use) technically I don't own it but if you get the idea from me credit is nice but not needed nor even really requested. If you take my characters I'll not just hurt you I'll kill you. I am very possessive of my babies. I also do happen to own a Jack!Muse and a Will!Muse (Newsie fans of mine/shade's will differentiate between Jack _Sparrow _and Jack _Kelly _because Mr. Kelly is Jack!_Musie_ while Cp. Sparrow is Jack!_Muse__, no 'i'. _

**Jack!Muse****: ~swaggers out shirtless with his bandana off and his hair more mussed than ususal~ 'ello loves!**

**Shade/Tabitha:** ~strolls after him in his shirt and a pair of black panties~ hiya ~beams~

**Will!Muse****: ~rolls eyes and leans against the wall~ I deal with this _twenty four _hours a __****day******

**Jack!Muse****: Lighten up. Have some rum. Just not my rum. Someone else's rum. Norrington's rum. ~gestures vaguely/wildly~ ~slings arm around Shade/Tabitha~**

**Shade/Tabitha:** ~beams~ isn't he _spiffy_?

**Random Cameo Angel!Muse:** -poof- you know she doesn't love us anymore.

**Random Cameo Josh-Mark!Muse:** -poof- you know I wonder how she got into his shirt in the first place. I mean we all know Shade's not gonna sleep with him, she's like a _nun_.

**Shade/Tabitha:** Get out! 

**RC Angel!Muse:** -poof-

**RC Josh-Mark!Muse:** ::sings:: December twenty fourth nine pm  -poof-

**Shade/Tabitha: **unfortunately due to his love of himself Jack isn't inspiring any other of my works right now, for them please look under username Pesky the Gremlin Goddess. He's being uninspiring.

**Jack!Muse****:'Ey! I inspired ye las' night! That dream where you did that thing with your tong-**

**Shade/Tabitha: **~covers Jack's mouth with her hand~ heh, lets not get into that shall we?

**Will!Muse****: ::whispers:: I'll try to get you the story of how she got his shirt**


	2. one

**_Romancing the Wind_**

_Pirates of the __Caribbean__: A New Generation_

By: Tabitha Sly

Written: 08.21.03 

Chapter One: Whispers on the Breeze

"Once upon a time I doted on Elisabeth. And she on me. And Commodore Norrington on her. One fine day he proposed to her. She accepted. Then after much deliberation, I told her I loved her. She called it off with Norrington. Two years later Elisabeth and I got married. Not to each other of course." William Turner's eyes sparkled in honey brown amusement at the girl sitting on the window seat with him. His mahogany gaze swept over the boy sitting, his back pressed against the wall. Thomas was seated near the fire, a small glass of port in his hands. The two men grinned at each other. "I met your mother one day at the pub. She had come to collect her drunk of a brother, and was radiant. It took me ages to break the news to Elisabeth, and even longer to get the courage to talk to Marian. Elisabeth was only too happy for me to break things off. Thomas Lace from America had caught her fancy. So as I wooed Marian, Tom was wooing Elisa. We married on the same day. In fact, the four of us shared a wedding. It was beautiful. Your mothers were in soft off white silk. White roses littered the room. I only wish Jack hade been there."

"Enough," Smiled Elisabeth sweeping into the room "Dorian, we're going home. It's been wonderful to see you and Marian again Will."

"As always seeing you is a delight Elisabeth." Smiled Will. 

"See you soon, William. Tabitha" Thomas kissed Tabitha's hand and the eight year old Dorian Lace stood and bowed to young Tabitha Turner, and followed in his mother's wake. Tabitha leaned back against the window and watched the two leaving. She turned her gaze out the window to watch Thomas, handsome with pale blonde hair and blue eyes, help Elisabeth into their carriage. He waved at her from out side. Tabitha and William waved back as the red haired Marian swept into the room. Will kissed his wife chastely.

"Father?" Tabitha spoke quietly. "Who is Jack?"

"Another time, maybe." Smiled William, kissing his daughter's auburn hair as her governess strode into the room. Miss McClay was a kind young woman with soft blond hair and big hazel eyes. She was gentle and round and Tabitha loved her very much. Secretly she loved her more than her own straight backed mother. Tabitha did love her mother. but the woman was rigid with her daughter, expect perfection in everything. Miss Tara McClay on the other hand was always ready with a laugh or a wink or a story of adventure.  Tabitha took Tara's hand and the two left with a curtsy to her parents. Tabitha could make out her mother's voice as they mounted the stairs.

"She does _not_ need to know of Mr. Sparrow." Her mother was insisting. She sighed. That would mean her father would never tell her. William always did as his wife requested in such matters. Tara hurried Tabitha up the stairs, a story already spilling over her lips.

"Now little miss" The young woman's lilting Irish made the words dance and spin like faeries.

"Did I ever tell ye about King Arthur and the Black Knight?" 

"Never," beamed Tabitha. Stories of King Arthur were always the best, especially ones with Morgan Le Fey, his enchantress half sister.

"Never?" Tara beamed "Well we'll have ta fix that wont we lass?"

"Tell me Tara." Pleaded Tabitha as they sat down to their needle point. Tara smiled and returned to the unicorn she was working on, a piece to a quilt the two were making. 

"Alright lassie, if you'll pay it heed." Tabitha knew well the ritual to these stories. She nodded furiously and Tara began the tale "Well one dreary Autumn day, much like today, young, handsome King Arthur was riding through the forests. . ."

~*~

"I'm deeply sorry for your loss" Commodore Norrington's voice was crisp and cold. Tabitha nodded mutely. Why the hell did he hang around any way? It wasn't as if he didn't have other places to be. Tabitha sighed. He hung around because he still cared about Elisabeth, because, despite their differences he respected her father. And, she thought, because mother is gone. Tara was sitting beside her, tears in her eyes. Tabitha stared forward at the casket, Dorian's hand in her own. 

William Turner had tears running down his cheeks. Elisabeth Lace was crying quietly. Everyone who had known Marian Turner was sobbing. Everyone but her daughter. The girl sat gazeing forward emotionlessly. She didn't stir again until her father lifted her into his arms and carried her home. That night it finally sunk in. Her mother was gone. Tuberculosis had dimmed the woman's eyes, stilled her laughter.  Tabitha raged. A vase shattered against her wall and she shrieked her anguish.  She was never close to her mother but blood was, after all, blood. Tabitha's mirror was smashed in her grief, pictures books, toys, dolls all thrown around the room the shattered glass and porcaline cutting into her feet and leaving bloody tracks on the hard floor. Tabitha seized a shard of glass and sliced it across her wrist. She lay on the ground, her hand in a pool of blood as she grew paler. She swallowed heavily. It hurt.

"Little lass, it's time for – oh mother goddess!" Tara dropped the glass of warm milk she'd been bringing up. "Master Turner! Oh William come quickly!"

Tara had cradled Tabitha in her arms and wrapped her wrist. Tabitha cried herself to sleep in her father's arms that night as the two sat up with her. The next morning the wound was healing and she was regaining her natural pallor. Tara made her eat more meat that day.

"Iron, ye need iron lassie" she insisted stirring some good smelling herbs into a warm mug of milk and making sure Tabitha drank it. The girl stared sullenly at her wrist. The rent was ghastly "Never ye mind that scab child, it'll scar that's for sure"

"But you wont have to see it" William kissed her head lightly and lay a beautiful wide beaded bracelet on the table "That'll cover it if you want my sweet"

"Thank you father" Tabitha murmured. Late that night Tabitha lay restlessly in bed "Good night Ma"

~*~

Long years had passed and both Tabitha and Dorian had reached the fine age of eleven. Tabitha sat in her father's smithy, watching the handsome man working. His back was bent over the sword and his honed muscles rippled in his back. She watched, fascinated, as a sword took shape from the red hot steel. She stared down at the blank patch in her hands. The last piece of the quilt she was making with Tara. Her father paused to smile down on her.

"Father," she asked "What should I put as the very last patch on my quilt?"

"A skull," He answered after a moments thought. "With a red bandana. Over two crossed sabers."

"A pirate emblem?" Tabitha asked shocked. Her father wiped the sweat from his brow and crouched before her. She smiled at him, her father was beautiful. He pushed a loose strand of hair off her face "Why that papa?"

"Because, little one, you have pirate in your blood." She gaped at him. He smiled and the skin around his eyes crinkled pleasantly. He laughed softly and lifted her up, 'commandeering' her chair and seating her in his lap. "When I was 18 I met a man named Jack-"

"Sparrow." Tabitha murmured in awe. It had been two years since her mother had died of tuberculosis and her father was imparting information the woman had not wanted her child to know.

"_Captain _Jack Sparrow." William smiled fondly "He'd have my head if I forgot that. I met him here in fact. Right over there by the anvil. We fought, swords clashing, sparks flying. I nearly beat him but he cheated, broke the rules of engagement. But then he was a pirate . . ."

Tabitha listened in awe and adoration as her father told her of magnificent ships and battles with legions of the undead. A world unfolded where a woman like Elisabeth could fight along side the man she loved to lift a terrible curse. Williams eyes lit up while he spoke and he grew more and more animated as he told of Jack's narrow escape from the gallows, and Commodore Norrington's men.  The true story of her father and Elisabeth fell into the light.  Tabitha was enrapt by the tale, every word she drank like wine. When her father was finished he looked younger than she'd ever seen him, lines of worry were gone from his face.

"A skull over sabers it is." Tabitha murmured beginning the patch, her mind swirling with what she had learned. William looked down at his daughter and picked up a new piece of steel.  He watched the light from the forge fire shine on her auburn locks, making hair that had seemed brown, glow more like red and shaped a new sword. 

Later that week, when Elisabeth and Thomas had them for dinner, Tabitha dragged Dorian out to the yard and repeated the story for him, every detail remembered. The handsome boy had stared at her a moment before a smirk danced on his face.

"Tabitha," He beamed his blue eyes glowing "We've got pirate blood. Your father and grandfather and my mother, for a short while at least."

"We're pirates!" Tabitha giggled "Stodgy old Norrington will have a conniption!"

"We can't tell." Dorian warned "Mother and William probably don't want it brought up."

To her disappointment, Tabitha had to agree. William watched the two talking in the yard, and pulled Elisabeth aside. She had a right to know he'd told Tabitha the story. Especially since it now seemed that Dorian knew. Elisabeth had nodded calmly and listened to Will as he spoke. In her calming way, she'd assured him that he'd done the right thing. There was nothing wrong in telling the truth. 

That same night under the same moon, Captain Jack Sparrow lay on the deck of his ship, his dark eyes reflecting in the light. The wind seemed to murmur a story. Mere whispers on the breeze.


	3. two

**_Romancing the Wind_**

_Pirates of the __Caribbean_: A New Generation__

By: Tabitha Sly

Written: 08.21.03 

Chapter Two: Steel on Steel

Tabitha stared forlornly out her window. Tara McClay sat at her side some random needle point in her hands. The rain lashed the glass and the wind howled out side. Tabitha longed to be out of her room, out of the house. It was quiet and far too large. She longed for the drafty smithy where her father was hammering out swords. She longed for his company days like this. She growled and shoved herself to her feet.  Sweeping out of the room Tabitha pulled on her heavy cloak and, ignoring protests from Tara, hurried out the door.  The rain beat down on her and the wind tore at her but it was not very far to the smithy and she made it there before she was too wet. As she opened the door and stepped inside she was greeted by the sound of steel on steel. Dorian, now a strapping sixteen with soft blonde hair and kind blue eyes, and her father were sparing. Dorian was good but William would always be better. The boy was too intense, too straight backed.  Tabitha sighed and sank into the seat that was near the shuttered window.

Her father would never let her learn to fight, something she rather lamented. If her father was so good why couldn't she be? Because you're a girl, part of her sneered. She folded her hands in her lap and resigned herself to watching William and Dorian. She had watched her father enough to know that if only Dorian would loosen up he would do better. However the boy would do no such thing and it was for this reason that when Commodore Christopher [1] Norrington and his son Tybalt entered the smithy Dorian was weaponless, Will's sword not far from his throat.  Dorian and William straightened and Tabitha stood slowly. The last time they'd seen Commodore Norrington it had been at a party at Elisa's.

"Mr. Turner" Norrington's voice was clipped. Tabitha had never actually seen the Commodore's son before. He wasn't difficult to look at, that was for sure. He glanced at Tabitha and raised an eyebrow. William returned his sword to the wall and turned his full attention to the Commodore. Dorian noticed Tybalt's wandering gaze and came to stand possessively at Tabitha's side. She sighed heavily they would never let her live her own life "I need a sword for my son"

"Of course Commodore" William nodded "What did you have in mind?"

"I'm Tabitha Turner" the girl introduced with a smiled, extending her hand to Tybalt much to Dorian's disgust.

"Tylbalt Norrignton" The boy answered, his voice just as concise and clipped as his father's. She swallowed heavily, his hand enveloped her own and his grip was firm.

"Dorian Lace" The boy muttered. Tabitha smiled at Tybalt. Why estrange the boy? He returned her smile with a curt nod and turned his attention to their fathers. William was demonstrating a sword to Norrington. The man shook his head and his gaze came to rest on a slender sword on the back wall.

"That one" The Commodore stated calmly. William's face grew grave.

"I'm sorry Commodore that one I'm not selling"

"And why in the heavens not?"

"It is for my daughter" William replied calmly. Tabitha gasped. He had made her a sword? The Commodore snorted but did not press the matter. 

Eventually he walked out with a fine sword for his son and left William with a good deal of money in his wallet. Tabitha turned to stare at her father. He smiled at her and took the sword of the wall. He held it out to her and she wrapped her hand around the hilt. 

"Oh father" she whispered. Dorian reached over and adjusted her hand on the hilt, a gentle touch of his hand straightened her back and with a brush of his fingers he brought her arm down to where it should be. William smiled happily "But why?"

"Because" Began William, drawing a sword for himself "A girl needs to know how to handle herself if ever under attack. Remember this is only the basics, just to hold them off until someone else can take over the fight"

Tabitha rolled her eyes and made a silent reminder to con Dorian into teaching her everything he knew. 

"Right. Now the stance . . ."

~*~

Tabitha's first lesson ended with sore muscles in her legs and blisters on her hands. Her father rubbed some of Tara's salve on the blisters and Tara drew a hot bath to relax her muscles. Tabitha sighed unhappily as she sank into the bath. She had only learned to hold the weapon right and to parry a little and yet she ached. She nearly gave up but the sight of her sword on her table forced her out of bed the next morning. 

"No training today" William told her on the third morning "You need to let your muscles heal and the blisters harden, we'll work again tomorrow"

Tabitha spent the day in her room a book in her lap and her mind in the clouds. She wanted to be learning. But the next day she was taught again and she found she could work longer and hurt less. This became the pattern of the next months; two days of training one day of rest. Eventually she began to use her day of rest to train in secret with Dorian, her logic was that she might need to hold someone off for too long to only know the basics. When that didn't work on swaying Dorian she reminded him of their childhood together and held out her pinky. He glared at her but linked his finger through hers. She smiled and kissed the gap presented by her thumb and forefinger curling into the fist. Dorian copied the action and sealed himself to helping her. Whenever either needed it that small motion forced the other to comply or loose the friendship. Dorian was a good teacher, patient and calm he went over it and over it and over it with her until she had each parry, block and stroke down by heart. He coached her endlessly on her foot work until it was right. She ached from his teaching more than from her father's but she benefited. She learned. She was good. Good for a girl anyway. Eventually, by the time she was almost sixteen, Dorian was loosing almost as much as he was winning against Tabitha. Almost. His strength was still an advantage she could not negate with her grace. 

One dreary day while the two were practicing in her yard her father came home early. They didn't notice the man standing in an arch of roses as their blades met, parted and met again. Dorian eventually did come out on top and dry clapping drew their attention to William standing not far from them. They both flushed and stammered.

"Stop" Protested William "I don't want to hear it. You've been teaching my daughter behind my back" Dorian looked sick "You've done a brilliant job. I get it. She deserves to be taught it all"

"You mean it father?" Tabitha beamed and William nodded.

"Tomorrow you come in together" From then on Tabitha and Dorian learned together, William taught Dorian how to anticipate a smaller opponent's movement by their foot work and he showed Tabitha how to use her size to her greatest advantage. Neither child could beat William. Thomas began to join them for training and they learned new technique. They practiced constantly, Tabitha's hands were as calloused as Dorian's. Tara would bring down a plate of sandwiches and a pitcher of ale or wine for them on hot summer afternoons.

One cool Autumn afternoon Tabitha and Dorian were sitting on his poor drinking cordial and conversing about the local gossip. Commodore Norrington strode up the path and both teens looked on in interest as Thomas met him on the terrace bellow them.

"The Black Pearl has been sighted in our waters" Norrington's voice was clear. Tabitha and Dorian exchanged a look. "You must be sure to tell me if your wife has _any _contact with shady characters"

"Of course" Thomas nodded. The conversation became mundane and the two didn't care to listen any longer. They had long forgotten the Black Pearl as childhood flights of fancy but when drug to the surface they remembered the story with alarming clarity. 

"I should go home" Tabitha murmured.

"Let me walk you" Dorian's eyes flashed with something Tabi couldn't place and they headed for her home. He hung back at the door and gripped her arm "What if Captain Sparrow drops in on his old friends?"

"Not a word to the Commodore is what" Tabitha answered furiously. Dorian nodded and kissed her knuckles promising to see her again the next day for practice.  Tabitha hurried inside and up to her room. She pulled her quilt off of her chair and held the last patch in her hands. A skull over two crossed sabers. The red of the bandana had not faded with time and her fingers stroked it gently. That night at dinner she only picked at her kidney pie. 

"Tabitha what's wrong?" William sounded worried and she smiled up at her father.

"Aye lass, ye dunna look well" Tara agreed, resting her hand on Tabi's forehead as if to check for a temperature "Are ye ill? Or did the faeries git ye?"

"No Tara it wasn't faeries" Tabitha grinned. Ever since she was small she had refused to be sick so they always blamed it on the faeries. "I heard the Commodore talking to Dorian's father. The Black Pearl has been seen near here"

"The Pearl?" William mused, his eyes glowing like they had when he'd first told her the story of the Pearl and her crew. Tabitha nodded "Well keep your sword at hand tonight darling"

"Yes father" Tabitha did exactly that. Her sword lay on her bedside table for a long week. Tabitha eventually thought the hope had passed but as her hand rested on the sword she decided against returning it to the armory. She slipped under her covers and fell asleep to the sound of the wind in the trees. [2]

[1] I took liberties. I'm sorry.

[2] I think this is all going too quickly, tell  me what you think

**[**shout outs**]**

**_Keza_**][ darling. Amusing musies. Amusing musies. Amusing musies. Amusing musies. Amusing musies. ~sticks out tongue~

**_Keza_**][ yes well I had to not get them married or there would only be two families. That would be _boring_.

**_Rumor_**][ ~beams~ yes I quite like Tara. She's _spiffy. Whipped!Will amuses me to no end. He's all sexy and submissive. Off to write chapter THREE._


End file.
